


Possessions

by MistressArafax



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ancient Egyptian Deities, Beach Holidays, Established Relationship, M/M, Possession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 05:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20559065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressArafax/pseuds/MistressArafax
Summary: When Yuugi gives Jounouchi a souvenir from his trip to Egypt, Kaiba is afraid of the small golden statue being cursed. Not wanting to delve too deeply into Ancient Egyptian spirits and curses, Kaiba chooses to not turn it into an issue. But what happens when Kaiba's fear becomes reality, and Jounouchi gets possessed days before their private weekend trip to the beach?





	Possessions

Kaiba had gone home several hours ago, sitting in his study and getting more work done for the day. There was always plenty of work, and with Jounouchi gone for the evening, he had nothing better to do. He usually just went along with whatever wild idea Jounouchi suggested, and the notion that he occupied his free time doing what Jounouchi wanted was somewhat amusing. Jounouchi would drag him out places, force him to eat dinner and socialize, and go to bed at a normal hour.

However, Jounouchi was out with his friends, visiting with Yuugi, who had just returned from an extended trip to Egypt. Kaiba had been invited to go with him, of course, but he’d declined. The excuse he'd given was that he wanted to get some extra work done, but he figured Jounouchi would have a better time with his friends without Kaiba being there. Not all of them were quite as forgiving as others, and he didn't want to tag along and ruin the visit for his boyfriend.

He was surprised when Jounouchi showed up less than an hour later, walking into his office. Jounouchi carried something gold in his hand, a big grin on his face. “You’re home earlier than I expected,” Kaiba stated, only taking a quick glance away from his computer.

“Yuugi was tired, and I headed out so he could get to bed. There’s quite a time difference. And look at what he got me,” he announced, holding out a gold figurine.

Kaiba eyed it suspiciously. “What is it?”

“I dunno. Looks cool though.”

“Is it some ancient artifact?”

Jounouchi shrugged. “I think so. He said Isis gave it to him. It’s got a lion face, see?” Jounouchi held it closer, and Kaiba gave the figure a cursory look. A lion head design sat on a golden circle, a sun, and a small snake, something he knew from his research into ancient Egyptian history was associated with Ra, coming off the circle. “Yuugi said I reminded him of a lion with my personality and the wild hair.”

Kaiba sighed and eyed where he had the Puzzle displayed in his study. Another ancient relic he simply held onto. A reminder of his past and how far he’d grown after leaving his teenage years behind. “I would rather only have one ancient artifact in the manor at a time.”

“Too bad. It’s a gift. I ain’t gettin’ rid of it.”

With a roll of his eyes, Kaiba finished what he was working on, saving it before standing up and exiting his study. Jounouchi followed along behind him while he clutched the gold figure in his hand. His free hand reached for Kaiba’s and interlocked their fingers before dragging them to their bedroom.

Jounouchi placed the figure, his wallet, and his phone on the nightstand on his side of the bed before quickly readying for bed. Kaiba cleared his throat. “Please don’t leave  _ that _ in the bedroom,” he requested.

Jounouchi’s answer was simply to stick his tongue out and hurry off to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Kaiba frowned, but with Jounouchi being stubborn about this, it meant forcing the matter would only result in an argument. He really didn’t want to argue about it, especially since his only real issue with having it there stemmed from an unfounded belief that all Egyptian artifacts were magical or cursed. Jounouchi would just give him a hard time if he mentioned that.

So instead, he kept his protests to himself, simply changing into pajamas and going to brush his teeth alongside Jounouchi. Somewhere along the way, Jounouchi playfully slapped his ass, and then they were bickering with each other until Kaiba tackled him onto the bed.

-

Weeks passed by, until Kaiba was no longer quite as swamped with work. He proposed a long weekend trip to Jounouchi who happily agreed. Jounouchi had rushed upstairs to pack a suitcase, haphazardly chucking things in because, even though they weren’t leaving for another three days, he was too excited to wait. In Jounouchi’s rush, he knocked over the golden figure, a crack forming along the circular crown.

Kaiba couldn’t say exactly what happened. One moment, everything was normal, and the next, it was as if a storm erupted in the bedroom. A heavy, dark fog, swirled through the room, wind howling and knocking over loose trinkets. He couldn’t see anything, and he tried, without success, to reach Jounouchi. 

Just as quickly as it started, the room was clear. Clothing and assorted items were strewn about the room, and Jounouchi stood just as Kaiba had last seen him. Relief flooded through him, but then Jounouchi turned around, and Kaiba knew something was wrong.

He stood ramrod straight, inspecting his surroundings, until finally his eyes locked with Kaiba’s. Cold, wild eyes, filled with hunger, and a deep ruddy brown color. They weren’t Jounouchi’s eyes, and Kaiba froze, both in fear and concern. This wasn't right.

“Where I am?” Jounouchi asked, voice distinctly lacking any of its usual warmth.

“Home.” As he spoke the words, he realized Jounouchi had not asked the question in Japanese. Ancient Egyptian. It made goosebumps crawl up his arms.

Jounouchi’s eyes narrowed. “This does not look like my temple,” he said, putting his hands on his hips. “Surely, you jest.”

Kaiba’s nostrils flared, irritated at the implication that he was lying and upset that Jounouchi didn’t know where he was. “I am not joking with you. This is your home. You live here with me.”

Deep laughter sprang from Jounouchi’s chest. “You? A mere human? As though I would ever lower myself to live with the likes of you.”

“You’re my… boyfriend,” Kaiba said stubbornly, closing his eyes and trying to will away the bitter feeling of defeat. It seemed as though Jounouchi was gone, replaced with another soul. It was inconceivable.

“I'm no male,” Jounouchi stated firmly.

Kaiba's head spun in confusion, but he scoffed at the absurdity. “I did, in fact, see your dick up close and personal last night. Stop messing with me, Katsuya.”

“Who is Katsuya?”

“You.”

Jounouchi's face contorted into a scowl before he started muttering to himself in a language that Kaiba didn't understand. Not Egyptian, he knew, even though he wasn't sure how he'd understood the ancient Egyptian leaving Jounouchi's mouth, either. But he'd been able to read it before, and he'd seen enough to know he had a connection to the past, though he always tried his best to ignore it. He assumed that connection was what made Jounouchi's words understandable. But it didn't explain why Jounouchi suddenly knew how to speak them at all.

Despite not wanting to admit it to himself, he knew. Jounouchi wasn't  _ Jounouchi _ right now. Something had come out of the figure and had taken over Jounouchi's body. Curses and ancient spirits had been exactly what he'd worried about when the figure had been brought into the manor in the first place. Now, he couldn't even gloat over the fact that he'd been right. It just made the defeat all the more bitter.

He sighed and met eyes with the other being in Jounouchi. “Who are you?”

“Can you not tell? I am Sehkmet, the Lion Goddess of War, protector of the great pharaohs. The lady of terror and life. You would do well to fear me.”

Kaiba knew the name. He understood its meaning, as well. ‘Powerful one.’ If a pharaoh was supposed to be a god in human form, this was a goddess bound in human flesh. A wholly powerful being, he was sure. Not that he wanted to give this stupid ancient religion any more of his time or effort. But he couldn't deny that this wasn't his Jounouchi.

“I fear nothing,” Kaiba stated.

Sehkmet-Jounouchi laughed at him, loud and boisterous. “I smell your fear, human.”

Kaiba drew his lips in, steeling his nerve. “Do you know where you are? You're not in your time. You've taken over the body of my boyfriend. No one here even believes you're real.”

Sehkmet frowned, eyes closed in reflection for several minutes. Kaiba watched on, not sure what to do about the stranger in Jounouchi's body. He'd probably have to call Yuugi. If anyone knew what to do about the ancient spirit, it would be him. He tried to recall everything he knew about the myths surrounding the goddess. She was supposedly fearsome when enraged, prone to bloodlust, but she was also a mighty warrior that protected the pharaoh. Kaiba scoffed at the notion. How fitting. Jounouchi was uncannily similar in that regard.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jounouchi's voice. “What you say is true. I spoke with him.” The goddess now spoke in Japanese, clearly pulling it from Jounouchi's vocabulary.

“And?”

“I suppose I should find out why I'm here.”

“Quite accidentally, I'm afraid. Katsuya knocked over that statue,” Kaiba pointed at the cracked golden figure, “and you must have come out.”

Cackling laughter erupting from Jounouchi’s mouth. “These things are never an accident, Kaiba Seto.”

“How do you know my name?”

Jounouchi's mouth spread into a toothy grin. “I'm accessing his memories. Everything he knows about you, I can learn, too.”

Kaiba shuddered at the notion of a stranger, a goddess, knowing him so intimately. But she was silent for a while, seemingly parsing Jounouchi's thoughts, and Kaiba stood, feeling out of place in his own bedroom as he tried to figure out the best course of action. Get the goddess out of Jounouchi, clearly, but how was he going to do that?

As if all his strength had just left him, Jounouchi collapsed on the floor. Kaiba rushed to his side, finding him unconscious. “Katsuya, wake up,” Kaiba commanded, voice tight and feeling anxious.

Jounouchi’s eyes fluttered but didn’t open. He groaned.

“Are you okay?” Kaiba asked softly, gathering Jounouchi into his arms. “You have to be okay.”

Another long groan left Jounouchi’s mouth. “Mmmmm m’alright. What happened?”

“That stupid ancient artifact you brought in here is cursed.”

“Shiiiit.” He tried to open his eyes again, finally managing to open one to a crack. “‘Mm’sorry.”

Kaiba fought back the urge to tell him ‘I told you so.’ Jounouchi wasn’t in any sort of condition for teasing. “Can you stand?”

“I think so,” Jounouchi answered, opening both eyes and forcing himself to sit up. He tried to stand, straightening himself out, before doubling over, clutching his head in his head. “Fuck,” he grumbled, teetering forward.

Seto sprang up and caught him, latching onto his arm and keeping him steady. “Did you hit your head?”

“Don’t think so,” Jounouchi gasped, breathing labored. “Feels like… it’s inside.”

Seto scowled, pulling Jounouchi against his chest, burying his nose into the blonde’s hair, and allowing Jounouchi to weakly cling to him. He hated seeing Jounouchi in pain like this. It was a rare occurrence. Usually, Kaiba himself was the cause of Jounouchi’s pain, a fight or disagreement between the two causing Jounouchi to sulk for days until Kaiba made the effort to make up to him. And he always did because, just like right now, he couldn’t stand the sight of Jounouchi in pain. Jounouchi was the sort that would deny when he was in physical pain, telling anyone who asked that he was fine. Right now, the pain had Jounouchi almost limp in Kaiba’s arms, whimpering, and he didn’t even have the strength to deny it.

“Let’s go to my office. I need to make a call.”

Kaiba had to guide Jounouchi there. The blonde couldn’t walk on his own. “It feels like my head is gonna split open. What happened to me, Seto?” Jounouchi whispered, pleading for answers.

Kaiba had to steel his nerve to tell Jounouchi the truth. “You broke the figure Yuugi gave you, and somehow, I’m not really sure how, but now it seems there’s a goddess in your head.”

“What?” Jounouchi hissed, pulling out of Kaiba’s grasp. “I thought I’d dreamed that up. Hey bitch! Get outta my head!” As a reward for his outburst, he crumbled to the floor again. His face froze, and he blinked, clearly startled. 

“What is it?”

“I can… hear her talkin’ to me.” He sat silently, seemingly deep in thought, and then he laughed. “This musta been how Yuugi felt when he put the Puzzle on for the first time.”

Kaiba nodded, though that was hardly a topic he cared to broach. “Has she figured anything out?”

“I dunno, but my head's hurtin’ less.”

Kaiba helped Jounouchi off the floor, noting that he did, in fact, appear to be in less pain. Jounouchi stood still for a moment, muttering to himself, and then he looked at Kaiba. “Sehkmet wants something to drink, Seto. She's thirsty.”

“I'll only be a moment in my study. Just come in and wait.” As Jounouchi didn't need his help anymore, he turned and headed for the door of his personal study. “She's been locked up for thousands of years. I'm sure she can wait another five minutes.”

He could hear Jounouchi trudging after him, still mumbling to himself incoherently. All things considered, Jounouchi was handling this whole ‘other being in his body’ better than Kaiba might have expected. Though Kaiba supposed that was probably having a circle of friends including Yuugi and Ryou. The idea of sharing his body with a second soul was not a foreign concept to his boyfriend, who had spent time with two people harboring ancient spirits.

He sat down at his desk, sighing. He needed this issue resolved before they left for their trip. It was supposed to be a private getaway for him and Jounouchi. Not him and Jounouchi and some ancient Egyptian interloper. He pulled his phone out and called Yuugi, growing irritated as the fourth ring began.

He looked up at Jounouchi, taking in his expression as he stood staring at Kaiba's collection of books and dragon-related items. Yuugi answered right at the end of the fourth ring.

“Hey, Kaiba,” he greeted groggily. “What's up?”

“I need your help with Jounouchi.”

“What do you mean?”

“The gift you gave him came with a hidden surprise.”

“Kaiba, what’s going on?”

Kaiba had a sharp retort in the top of his tongue when Jounouchi drew his attention away from the conversation. Not Jounouchi, he realized quickly. Sehkmet. Muttering in a language he couldn't understand while staring at the Puzzle.

“Kaiba?”

“Just… just get here. Now.” He didn't wait for Yuugi to agree before hanging up the phone. 

“Why do you have this?” Sehkmet demanded, eyes flashing dangerously.

“It belonged to… an acquaintance. You’ll be meeting him soon.”

“Yuugi…” Sehkmet-Jounouchi said experimentally. “This object is from a cursed line of pharaohs. You’d do well to get rid of it.”

“I can’t,” Kaiba insisted, shaking his head. “I’m… bound to it in a way, I guess.”

Sehkmet-Jounouchi cocked her head to the side. “Bound? Hmm. Who are you?” 

“Kaiba Seto.”

Jounouchi’s eye’s clouded in anger. “Who are you? Do not lie to me, human?”

“I told you,” Kaiba said, veins pulsing, readying for a fight. “Kaiba Seto.”

The goddess stepped into Kaiba’s personal space, causing him to flinch away. She grabbed his arm and held him close, her power increasing Jounouchi’s strength so much it actually hurt. She pressed her nose against his neck, breathing deep, before giving his neck a long, slow lick. Kaiba shivered, simultaneously creeped out, frightened, and a little aroused.

“What was that for?” he demanded.

The goddess laughed as she stepped away. “To test a theory. You’re of that line, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Don’t lie to me. You do know. You’re a descendant from that gods’ forsaken line. And that’s why I’m here. To protect you.”

Kaiba scoffed. “I do not need your protection.”

Sehkmet-Jounouchi reached out and patted his shoulder, patronizingly raising an eyebrow, and assuring, “You’ll soon see how wrong you are.”

Kaiba simply scowled, and Sehkmet slinked away, plopping down on the couch. “Katsuya said… you were thirsty.”

The mention of a drink made the goddess’s personality flip dramatically. Bubbly and excited and nearly bouncing on the couch in excitement. “Yes! Wine. I want wine.”

Kaiba blinked in confusion. Jounouchi didn’t usually like wine, but even though it was his body, this wasn’t Jounouchi so he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. He led her downstairs, taking her to the kitchen where she gorged herself on cookies and chocolate and downed an entire bottle of wine.

A second bottle had been opened when Yuugi wandered into the kitchen. “Um… hey.”

Sehkmet’s attention focused on him. “You,” she said, eyes narrowing. “I know you.”

“Um… yeah? Of course you do, Jounouchi.”

“Yuugi, Katsuya has apparently been taken over by the Egyptian goddess Sehkmet. I figured you might be able to help,” Kaiba explained as calmly as he was able.

Yuugi yelped. “He… he what?”

“You are Katsuya’s friend, aren’t you?” Sehkmet asked, going to inspect Yuugi. She laughed. “You harbored the spirit of the Forgotten Pharaoh.”

“Yes,” Yuugi said.

“You’re his reincarnation, it seems. A descendant but also him reborn anew. Just like Kaiba Seto is the reincarnation of his cousin, the fourth Pharaoh in a doomed and forgotten line.” The goddess licked cookie crumbs off her fingers noisily. “I suppose it’s not that much of a surprise that he’s got the Millenium Puzzle in his possession. History is repeating itself.”

“As if,” Kaiba grumbled.

She glowered at him. “He begged for my protection, you know. For all of his magic and his intelligence and the strength of his dragon, he still needed my help. He wasn’t the first Pharaoh to need my help. Nor was he the last.”

“Priest Set needed your help?” Yugi asked, curious.

“ _ Pharaoh  _ Set,” she clarified, “required my help, yes. A foreign nation attacked, wielding magic different but equal to your ka monsters. He needed my power and my healing abilities.”

“What happened after that?”

“How should I know?” Sehkmet said flippantly. “I fulfilled my duty and left.”

Kaiba bristled. He hated to admit his ties to the past, but the fact that the goddess cared so little rubbed him the wrong way. “I thought you said you were the protector of the Great Pharaohs?” he seethed.

She snorted. “What part of him was Great? I didn’t owe him my allegiance. He was no son of Ra. I came like he asked, but when the job was finished, I left.”

With a sneer Kaiba stalked out of the kitchen. He really shouldn’t have been so offended. He  _ didn’t  _ care. The priest or pharaoh or whoever he was didn’t matter to Kaiba. They weren’t the same person. Her disregard of the man had no meaning to Kaiba. He took a few moments to compose himself, and then returned to the kitchen. Jounouchi had seemingly returned to normal. “You okay, Jou-kun?” Yuugi asked.

“I dunno. But I feel better than I did last time she took over.”

“Is she… hurting you?”

“I don’t think so. I mean… I feel alright. Just a little tired.”

“How do we get her out?” Kaiba asked.

Yuugi shook his head. “I’m not sure. I doubt it’ll be easy. And there is a possibility that she’s permanent.”

“Unacceptable.”

“It’s okay, Seto.” Jounouchi took his hand, threading their fingers together. “We’ll figure this out.”

“Do you think the Ishtar woman would be able to help with this?”

“Likely better than anyone else,” Yuugi admitted.

“Then tell her to get here immediately.”

Yuugi sputtered for a few moments before doing as asked. Ishizu would arrive in two days, which was two more days than Kaiba wanted, but he would have to make due.

-

Surprisingly enough, the two day wait was largely Sehkmet free. The goddess only came out long enough to demand wine at dinner. She’d polish off a bottle, and then relinquish control back to Jounouchi, who then complained about how terrible dry wine tasted. 

“Like, I might as well eat dirt.”

“It’s not that bad if you pair it with the right dish,” Kaiba pointed out.

“Yeah, yeah. Take her side.”

The end of the second day rolled around, and in a surprising turn of events, Marik stood in the foyer. “Kaiba, Jounouchi, it’s good to see you again.”

Jounouchi greeted him warmly. How he managed to forgive someone who had nearly killed him multiple times, Kaiba didn’t know, but Kaiba wouldn’t ever fully forgive him. Ruining his tournament and endangering lives on multiple occasions weren’t things he could simply overlook. 

Without bothering to greet the blonde Egyptian, Kaiba got straight to the point. “Get Sehkmet out of Jounouchi. Now.”

Marik frowned, crossing his arms over his chest but otherwise barely reacted to the demand. “Well, I can’t. It’s not like I have my own magic. But curses can be undone and spirits can be sealed. It’s just going to take time to figure out what we have to do.”

“So you can’t extract her prior to our trip tomorrow?”

Marik shook his head. “It’s going to take a few weeks of research. Maybe months. It’s why I’m here. Just the middle-man to relay information back to Ishizu. She has clearances to access a bunch of ancient texts so she’ll do some digging, and then we’ll eventually come up with a plan of action. In the meantime, I’m here.”

Which honestly made a lot of sense, but it didn’t make him any happier that he was going to have to deal with Sehkmet on his trip or that Marik Ishtar was staying in his house until they could get this resolved.

Getting down to business, Marik asked Jounouchi quite a few questions, largely related to what had happened and how he felt. Marik took notes, periodically looking up at Jounouchi. Eventually, the questions seemed to pique Sehkmet’s interest, and without any indication other than the straightening of Jounouchi’s posture, she took control. “A gravekeeper, huh?” she asked suddenly.

Marik blinked in surprise. “You know me?”

“Yes.”

He shook his head, regaining his bearings. “I assume… you are Sehkmet.”

“Yes. What do you want from me, Marik Ishtar?”

Marik seemed bewildered, and Kaiba explained, “She’s pulling information from Jounouchi’s memories.”

“I am,” she affirmed.

Marik nodded and continued his questions as though nothing had changed. “Why are you here?”

“I’m here to protect Kaiba Seto.”

Marik hummed thoughtfully. “What are you protecting him from?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But I must remain vigilant."

Kaiba didn't know what that meant, and Marik certainly wasn't any closer to finding an answer. This could take weeks to resolve. Months. But he refused to cancel his trip with Jounouchi. Additionally, he was too worried about Jounouchi's well-being to go without Marik around to monitor the situation. With a resigned sigh, he accepted that Marik and Sehkmet would both be joining their no longer quite so private getaway.

-

Marik had been just as excited as Jounouchi had been to find out about going on a weekend trip to the beach. Sehkmet, when he had an opportunity to speak to her, had seemed ambivalent. Clearly, the goddess didn't care what they did.

So they'd arrived at the relatively quiet island early Saturday morning, settling into the ocean-front property Seto had rented for their stay. Marik and Jounouchi had quickly changed into their swim trunks and headed to the beach, leaving Kaiba alone inside. He frowned as he moved around the bedroom, hanging his clothes up and eyeing where Jounouchi had abandoned his own bag in the middle of the floor.

It didn't take him long to feel lonely in the big house. He had come here to spend time with Jounouchi, and Jounouchi, in his excitement, had left for the beach without him. He sighed as he stood up and changed into swimwear, pulling on a tank top to keep himself from getting too sunburned. Though he was going to apply sunscreen, he planned on sitting under the beach umbrella and reading. He packed up what he thought he'd need into a bag, grabbed a chair and the umbrella, and walked the short distance to the beach.

Marik and Jounouchi were already in the water, splashing each other and laughing. Kaiba smiled. At least Jounouchi was having fun. He set the umbrella up before settling in his chair and spreading sunscreen over his skin. Hearing Jounouchi's laughter echoing over the sand, he pulled out his book and started reading.

It was an epic fantasy tale, with dragons and magicians fighting together to keep a great evil at bay. Kaiba loved fantasy books, but he couldn't indulge very often. His busy work schedule kept him from reading for pleasure. There was always a report to read, a meeting to attend, a proposal to review, and he simply didn't have the extra time for it. Especially not if he wanted to spend time with Mokuba and Jounouchi too. But because it was his vacation, he had decided he was going to indulge himself.

He let himself get immersed in the world and was only pulled out when Jounouchi said his name. "Seto. Hey, we're gettin' hungry."

Kaiba looked at his phone. 2 pm was awful late for lunch, so he nodded in agreement. Not that he was especially hungry himself, but he needed to eat something regardless, and Jounouchi always got grumpy if he stayed hungry for too long. Kaiba packed up his things, and they headed back to the house to change.

"I'm gonna hop in the outside shower to get the sand off," Jounouchi said.

Marik nodded. "I'll join you."

Kaiba glared at him. After having Jounouchi taken from him earlier, he felt jealous and possessive in a way he didn't normally with Jounouchi. And he didn’t like the idea of Marik showering with Jounouchi. "You will do no such thing," Kaiba said.

Jounouchi stared at him for several seconds, trying to read his intentions and then laughing. "Relax, Seto. It ain’t a big deal."

Marik blinked, confused, and then his amethyst eyes went wide in understanding. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about how you two are dating and how that might make it weird."

"Seto's the one making it weird,” Jounouchi answered with a shrug, "but I get it. I respect his feelings about this, so go ahead and shower first."

Marik nodded and did just that.

Kaiba took Jounouchi's hand and pulled him up the stairs of the beach house. "Come inside," he said.

And of course, Jounouchi couldn't just follow along. He wrested himself free of the grip. "Why? Why are ya bein' so jealous of Marik?"

Kaiba gritted his teeth, not wanting to explain himself but aware that he needed to if he wanted to avoid an argument and hard feelings for the remainder of the trip. "Because… because this trip was supposed to be just the two of us. I even told Mokuba he couldn't come along because it was just for us. Then when we get here, you immediately left me here to swim with him. How am I supposed to feel, Katsuya?"

Jounouchi softened as he weighed the words, but he did what Kaiba had wanted and wandered back inside. "M'sorry," he mumbled. "I just got so excited, and I didn't think about your feelin's. And I'm sorry I fucked everything up right before we left."

Jounouchi wrapped him in a hug, standing there and just being close. Kaiba was grateful for it. He'd been subconsciously avoiding physical closeness with Jounouchi since Sehkmet's arrival, and he missed the touch, the warmth. "Releasing Sehkmet certainly wasn't one of your wiser moves."

"Shut up," Jounouchi grumbled into his chest.

Kaiba chuckled at the reaction. "Go shower and get dressed. I'll take us for late lunch once you're ready."

Jounouchi reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. "Thanks, Seto. I'll make sure the rest of my trip is dedicated to spendin' time with you."

Kaiba smiled at him as he wandered into their room after that, going to the attached bathroom to shower. Kaiba headed there, as well, changing into clothes to go out to eat. A simple outfit consisting of a pair of khaki shorts and a dark green polo. Changed, he headed back to the kitchen to wait for the others to be ready.

-

An hour later, the three of them sat at a noodle house, slurping down ramen. Marik happily ate his veggie laden bowl, watching them both with a smile on his face.

"You two get along surprisingly well," he commented. "When Isis told me I was gonna stay with you, I was worried."

"Why were ya worried?" Jounouchi asked.

"I just remember how you used to be from the Battle City tournament."

Kaiba hummed in agreement. "A lot has changed since then."

"Clearly," Marik said.

"We've been datin' three years," Jounouchi explained. "We haven't always gotten along, but they been three really good years."

"Seems like it. Must be nice too, being in a stable, long-term relationship."

Jounouchi opened his mouth to reply, but instead of a logical reply, he said, "I want wine." Sehkmet had taken over.

"They don't have wine here. But there's probably sake," Kaiba returned.

"That'll suffice, I'm sure," the goddess said, arms crossed over her chest. Kaiba ordered her a full bottle of sake and watched, somewhat appalled, as she chugged it all down. Not that it was any different from her usual, but this time she was in public. Fortunately, no one else was at the restaurant beside them and the owner.

The empty bottle was set down on the table, and Sehkmet sighed happily. "Delicious," she said. "I'm going to need more of that."

She relinquished control immediately after that, letting Jounouchi come back to the surface with a blink of surprise. "What did she drink this time?" he asked with a perplexed look on his face.

"Sake," Kaiba said.

"I thought so. Kinda tastes like it. At least it's better than the wine."

Marik chuckled. "I'm kind of surprised. It doesn't fit with the legends about her."

"What legends?"Jounouchi asked.

"Well supposedly, she once fell into a bloodlust after battle and was killing everything she came across. The ancient Egyptians gave her dark red wine the color of blood. So much that she that she got drunk and fell asleep, thus ending the killing spree."

Jounouchi blinked, stating, "She says that's not quite right."

"Legends rarely are," Kaiba said dryly.

"She was punishing a village for defying Pharaoh at his command. The wives of the wicked men offered her wine after the fact as a way to celebrate their freedom."

Marik looked at him hard, calculating, and then laughed. "That sounds decidedly less intimidating. Regardless, there used to be a big celebration where everyone got drunk in her honor."

"She knows. It was one of her favorite things."

"No one celebrates it anymore," Marik said, "which is really too bad. But she clearly still enjoys alcohol."

"We can have our own private celebration tonight!" Jounouchi suggested.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, but with Marik and Jounouchi's combined enthusiasm at the idea, he knew there would be no way to stop it from happening.

They finished eating, and he paid the bill. On the way back, he stopped at a store to let Jounouchi and Marik select alcohol for their celebrating, but he refused to participate. He wasn't celebrating Sehkmet when all he wanted was to get rid of her. Marik and Jounouchi each selected a few choices, and they headed home.

"What are we gonna do for dinner, Seto?" Jounouchi asked as they walked back into the house.

"You just ate. You can't seriously be thinking about dinner already," Kaiba said incredulously.

"Well...swimmin' does make ya hungry…" he trailed off.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. Of course Jounouchi was thinking about food. "You're a glutton, you know that? It's a wonder you've managed to stay so thin. I did make a reservation for tonight, though."

Jounouchi stuck his tongue out. "I just lucked out on high metabolism, ya ass."

Marik was laughing at their antics, and feeling self-conscious, Kaiba slinked into the bedroom while shaking his head. After a few moments, Jounouchi joined him, closing the door behind him as he entered. "Are you mad?" the blonde asked.

"I'm...upset."

"What about?" Jounouchi asked, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Ya can tell me."

"I know. It's just...Sehkmet. I don't want to celebrate her being here. I don't want her here. And you don't seem to care."

"There's nothing I can do besides make the best of it," Jounouchi explained with a shrug. "She ain't leavin' until she fulfills whatever duty she's got, and I don't think I should mope around about it until she does."

Kaiba stepped closer, resting his forehead on Jounouchi's and relishing the blonde's arms wrapping around his waist. "You shouldn't. I just...I don't like sharing you. This entire situation has been difficult for me."

"It's tough for me too. Having to share my head. It's weird, ya know?"

Kaiba nodded, and Jounouchi pressed their lips together. Kaiba relaxed against him, kissing him back and enjoying the taste of him

"It's just us right now," Jounouchi said when he pulled away for air.

Kaiba knew an invitation when he heard one, and he wasn't about to turn it down. He guided Jounouchi to the bed, stripping himself and helping Jounouchi out of his own clothes. The touches were electric, the exact thing he'd been craving the last few days. Weeks really because he’d been so busy. There’d been no time to slow down and enjoy it. The closeness was exactly what he'd planned for during their vacation. He let himself meld with the blonde as he thrust into Jounouchi, giving into his need for contact and intimacy.

-

Jounouchi always got super cuddly after sex. He'd cling to Kaiba in bed, and even when they'd both gotten up and showered and dressed again, Jounouchi wanted to stay close. Holding his hand, leaning against him, giving him little kisses on the cheek and neck. He was just so openly affectionate after sex, and honestly, Kaiba liked it. 

Today, however, Jounouchi’s affection had left him somewhat embarrassed because Marik was watching them with an eyebrow cocked in amusement and a knowing smile on his face. Kaiba glared at him periodically as they made their way to a seafood restaurant. Whether to intimidate him into not looking at them or to wipe the smile off his face, Kaiba didn’t know. But he didn’t like feeling this self-conscious about anything.

"I hope they have vegetarian dishes," Marik remarked as they walked along.

Seeing an opportunity to rid himself of Marik for a bit, Kaiba said, "I don't think they do. I wasn't really thinking about that when I made the reservation a week ago."

Jounouchi looked between them. "Maybe we should go somewhere else instead."

As if reading Kaiba's thoughts, Marik shook his head. "I uh...I'll just find somewhere else to go instead since there was a reservation. You two enjoy dinner. I'll see you when you get back." 

The blonde Egyptian darted off past them, and Kaiba sighed, relieved to finally be alone, or mostly alone, with Jounouchi. "That was mean," Jounouchi admonished.

Kaiba just chuckled at the accusation. "He left on his own."

Jounouchi grumbled, but he still held Kaiba's hand, walking close enough that his hand frequently brushed against Kaiba's thigh. Kaiba leaned over and kissed his cheek. Jounouchi sighed contentedly. "It was still mean."

"He realized I wanted to be alone with you and acted out of courtesy."

"I guess," Jounouchi said as they walked up to the restaurant. They were seated outside at a table for two, with a stunning view of the sunset over the ocean. They ordered their meals, Jounouchi chatting as they waited for their food, all the while holding hands over the table.

"Do you not want us to hold a celebration for Sehkmet tonight?" Jounouchi asked softly.

"You may do as you wish," Kaiba answered.

"I just thought she'd like havin' something nice like that. She's been sealed away for who knows how long. She ain't like bad or nothin'. For a thousands of years old goddess, she's pretty innocent, actually."

When Seto raised an eyebrow in question, Jounouchi chuckled. "When we...ya know…this afternoon, she was surprised. She'd never had any kind of sexual contact before then."

He blinked rapidly, appalled at the revelation. "I thought you said it was just us?" he hissed.

"Well, she wasn't like...there. But she's a part of me so what I'm feelin', she feels too. She liked it, actually. Wanted to try it again."

"Absolutely not." The idea that someone else had been there and experienced it made him angry. "It's just for us. No one else."

Jounouchi reached out and squeezed his hand, trying to get him to calm down. And then he was replaced with Sehkmet, who looked at him inquisitively. "You're angry at me."

"You were there," he accused.

The food arrived, and the waiter quickly set it down and left them, sensing the animosity. 

"I can't go anywhere else," she said. "His body is my body, and the pleasure Jounouchi experienced from your mating was so intense that I couldn't help investigating. You please him immensely. You should have heard his thoughts in the midst of your coupling."

Kaiba flushed red, but he was still boiling with anger. "Enough. You shouldn't know anything about it. It's something meant for the two of us to share alone."

She stared off thoughtfully. "None of my previous vessels ever did such a thing, you know. The girls at the temple had to live by strict rules and keep their maidenhood intact if they wished to become my vessel."

"Is that supposed to name me feel better?"

"It’s to help you understand. Arousal and pleasure are not things I've experienced in other bodies. They were trained to let me be the predominant personality. I'm not accustomed to feeling the emotions of my host body, and I simply wished to understand what was causing such a strong reaction from him. I was fascinated, but I apologize for intruding."

As Kaiba mulled over the apology, Jounouchi was given control once more. The change was almost seamless now, Kaiba noted, and if it wasn't for the differences in their posture, eye colors, and facial expressions, Kaiba might not have been able to tell the difference at all. Jounouchi blinked, quickly regaining his bearings and jumping back into the discussion.

"She said she'd make sure to give us privacy in the future," Jounouchi said.

"It won't be necessary," Kaiba decided. "I'll be refraining from such things until she's gone." It was a harsh verdict, and he could tell how much Jounouchi disapproved from the crestfallen, upset look on his face, but the blonde didn't argue. He sighed and started eating, keeping his eyes on his plate to avoid Kaiba's gaze.

Kaiba stared at him for several long minutes, trying to understand why he was so upset yet not arguing. Jounouchi always fought him when he thought Kaiba was being unreasonable, and that he wasn't now, shook Kaiba.

"Talk to me, Katsuya," he implored softly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Seto, just eat your dinner."

"Why are you being like this?"

"Being like what? Upset? Because my boyfriend don't wanna be with me?"

Kaiba bit his tongue and took a deep breath to keep himself from saying something he'd regret. "I never said that."

"Ya said ya wouldn't fuck me until Sehkmet is gone. Ya don't wanna be with me until she's gone. It could be months, Seto. And I don't know if I can deal with months."

He frowned, but he understood. He wasn't sure he could go more than a week or two without Jounouchi around, and certainly no more than a month without any close physical contact. "It feels like my privacy is being violated with her there," Kaiba breathed out.

"I know. It's weird, but there's gotta be a better solution than just no sex, period. I don't wanna live like that, and I don't think you want to either."

Jounouchi looked serious, eyes gleaming, and Kaiba relented. "We'll try to figure something out,” he conceded. The grin on Jounouchi's face eased his worry, and he finally managed to focus his attention on eating. The food had gotten lukewarm in the time they talked, but he wasn't going to complain when he was at fault for that to begin with.

Meals finished, Jounouchi ordered dessert, force feeding bites to Kaiba on occasion, but mostly eating it all himself. Kaiba paid the bill while Jounouchi finished the last few bites, and they walked up the beach on their way back to the house. Jounouchi held his hand tightly, swinging their arms with each step as they walked along in absolutely no hurry to return.

The ocean breeze was cool and relaxing. Jounouchi hummed a familiar tune as they walked, and Kaiba decided it was a fine way to end a Saturday evening. "We should come back here again," Jounouchi said. "When it's just the two of us for real. Maybe stay longer too."

"That's not a bad idea," he agreed. "Though it'll take me time to arrange my schedule so I can take that much time off."

"You could call in Monday and-"

Jounouchi had stopped walking the moment he'd cut his sentence off, letting go of Kaiba's hand and staring out at the sea. His posture was straight and tensed, and Kaiba realized it was Sehkmet yet again. 

"Something's coming," Sehkmet warned.

"The danger to me?" Kaiba asked.

She nodded. "It seems so."

Kaiba stared off into the distance, trying to see whatever it was that Sehkmet saw, but he couldn't. She stood rigid next to him, every muscle tensed. "I don't see anything."

"You wouldn't. A god stalks you," she said.

Seto didn't scoff, though he wanted to. He never wanted to admit that he believed in any of this nonsense, but it wasn't as though he could outright deny what was plainly in front of him. Jounouchi’s body was hosting another being, of that he was certain, but he struggled to accept that a god would be after him. For what reason would a god ever want anything to do with him?

Just as soon as he let himself relax, the wind swirled around them, whipping his hair in every direction and blowing sand in his eyes. A storm rolled over the ocean, thunder and lightning rolling from the dark clouds. Kaiba’s hair stood on end. He felt the ominous presence more than he could see it.

A voice spread through his mind. “ _ Let me in, _ ” it said.

“No,” he spoke aloud.

“Seto, fight him,” Sehkmet said, reaching for his hand. Kaiba looked at the goddess with wide eyes, but he knew, in that moment, it was both Sehkmet and Jounouchi together.

The voice clawed at his mind, the headache spreading fast and painful through his head. Crippling and consuming, it dropped him to his knees in the sand, and he clutched at his head, trying to force it away.

“ _ Foolish mortal. It will be much easier if you just allow me in. _ ”

“No!” he shouted, squeezing his eyes closed.

A light flashed in front of him, so bright it penetrated past his eyelids. He felt Sehkmet’s power burst forth beside him, a pulsing heat, terrifying but also comforting at the same time.

“Leave him be, Set,” she commanded.

The light faded, and the throbbing in his head receded. He opened his eyes, seeing the form in front of him. Swirling red dust and a monstrous face where the only thing he could distinguish in the mass of dark clouds. “ _ You’ve come forth and taken a host. Why should I not also find a host? The games for the throne can continue! _ ”

“It’s been centuries, and you lost then. You would only lose again,” the goddess growled. “I will not permit it.”

_ “You don’t have a choice, Sehkmet.” _

Seizing the opportunity, the distraction, Kaiba felt the pain flare up again. The last thing Kaiba heard was Sehkmet and Jounouchi scream his name, and his consciousness was pushed to the side.

-

He saw flashes of the battle as he tried to fight the god who possessed him. All he felt was malice and fury, as he was shoved to the back of his own mind. Flashes of the terror in Jounouchi’s face. Sehkmet’s face? They were blending together.

Marik ran to them on the beach, holding something up and shouting. Whatever it was shimmered in the flashes of the attacks they hurled at each other. Gold. He wasn’t sure what it was though.

“Kaiba!” He could barely register Marik’s voice through haze.

“SETO!!!” Jounouchi’s call cut through to him, and he stopped moving, gaining enough strength to take over for a fraction of a second.

It was enough time for him to catch what Marik had thrown at him. The Millenium Rod. How…? Marik shouldn’t have had it. No one should have had it. He hadn’t recovered it with the Puzzle. Kaiba didn’t question it though. Not when he could suddenly focus again.

He slipped into the depths of his own mind. He stood outside a room, sheer curtains blowing in the gentle breeze and marble pillars as far as he could see. “What do you want from me?” a man asked from immediately behind him.

He turned and gaped when he saw the man. Himself but in very different clothing. A nearly perfect doppleganger. But it wasn’t him. Kaiba knew who he was. Even when all he’d ever wanted to do was deny it, it was harder to deny when the man stood in front of him. “Priest Seto.”

“Pharaoh Seto,” he corrected.

“Why am I here?” Kaiba demanded.

“Because it’s about time we were properly introduced, yes? My cousin has mentioned you plenty in the afterlife. I know much about you, Kaiba Seto.”

“Fantastic. Are you going to help me?”

The spirit laughed, mirthful. “Of course. I will require use of your body to do so. I assume you’ll grant me permission.”

Kaiba huffed. “Fine.”

“Before I do it though, I want you to answer one thing for me.”

“Okay.”

“Your male consort, Jounouchi…”

“Boyfriend,” Kaiba curtly corrected.

“As you say,” the spirit dismissed. “Should he perish, what would you do?”

It wasn’t the question he’d expected, and it made his heart ache. The idea of life without Jounouchi was unbearable. “Vengeance,” he uttered. “The responsible party would pay with their life.”

“Good. My cousin will be happy to hear that. Now come and watch how it’s done so you won’t need my help should this happen again.”

He strode off, and Kaiba followed him down a long marble corridor. Slowly, as they made their way down the narrow passage, the marble was replaced with obsidian bricks. Dark and foreboding, but shimmering in the dim light. A light flashed rapidly ahead of them, and in an instant, the hallway was bathed in light. 

Kaiba could see the real world again, though it was through a hazy cloud. Jounouchi sprawled across the beach, bruised and bleeding. He didn’t move, and Kaiba panicked, Pharaoh Seto’s question flooding his mind. Before he could do anything about it, he extended the Rod in front of his body. Not him, per se, the spirit of the Pharaoh controlling him. It was clutched closely to his chest, words in Ancient Egyptian flowing from his mouth. Kaiba understood them.

“Release the spirit harbored within this body. Flow like the waters of the Nile flow to the sea.”

He felt peaceful, and his mind cleared. The angry force in his mind ebbed, quieting to nothing. It was leaving him. Pharaoh Seto raised the Millenium Rod, his incantation continuing.

“Seal the errant god away to his realm. By the power of Ra, I bind him to this place, his punishment for his crimes.”

Kaiba watched as the swirling, evil mass hovering in the air was sucked downward, forming a small tornado on the beach. Eventually, the dark mass faded completely. 

"A conch shell is not a fitting resting place for Set, but he’s sealed," the spirit said before relinquishing control back to Kaiba.

Kaiba was more concerned with Jounouchi, who still hadn't moved, and having control of his body once more, he raced to his boyfriend's side.

"Jounouchi!" he shouted frantically as he dropped to his knees beside the blonde. "Jounouchi, speak to me!"

A muffled groan escaped his throat. Kaiba noticed his shallow breathing as well. If nothing else, Jounouchi was at least alive.

_ "Sehkmet heals him from within," _ the spirit explained.

"Ohh," Kaiba breathed, relief flooding through him.

_ "He's special,"  _ the Pharaoh said in his mind.  _ "Everyone who meets him is drawn to his radiance." _

Kaiba didn't deny it. It was the truth, after all, and he knew it better than anyone. "He's very special to me."

_ "I can tell. He was special to Atem, too, and I've been told plenty of stories about him. Even Sehkmet cares for him, it seems. I hope I can meet him before you relinquish control of the Millennium Rod." _

Kaiba hummed in acknowledgement as he cradled Jounouchi's head in his lap, running his fingers through the extremely disheveled blonde strands of hair. He stayed like that for long minutes, aware that Marik stood just in front of them, saying nothing while fidgeting impatiently. 

After a few more minutes of him being there, it grated on Kaiba's nerves, and he barked, "What do you want, Ishtar?"

"I...wanted to tell you that Isis found a way to remove Sehkmet. But it involves the Rod. You have to use it."

"Like I just did?" Kaiba asked flatly.

"It's...not quite the same. The incantation is different."

Kaiba nodded and turned his attention inward to ask the spirit. “ _ Can you remove Sehkmet?”  _ he queried.

_ “It is within the power of the Millenium Rod to do so, but you do not have the strength to do so right now.”  _

Kaiba scoffed.  _ “I feel fine.” _

His doppleganger smiled, chuckling gently.  _ “Your ba, your life force, is depleted. You will need a week or more to recover.” _

_ “I don’t believe you.” _

Pharaoh Seto gave him a stern look, then cautioned with incredible seriousness,  _ “Don’t overdo it. You’ll kill yourself.” _

And while Kaiba was used to putting himself into dangerous situations without a second thought, the way the warning had been delivered made him hesitate and think about how much he didn’t know about what he was doing. Magic and spirits. Gods and goddesses. He was out of his realm and relying on the spirit’s knowledge and history to guide him. Despite how strong-willed and stubborn he could be, he was no idiot. A week or so more of Sehkmet would be far superior to dying.

_ “Fine.” _

-

It was Sehkmet who awoke first, sitting up from Kaiba’s lap, and looking around. “Set is defeated,” she said.

“Mm,” Kaiba agreed.

“Your ancestor helped you. I sense his presence within you.”

“He did.” Kaiba didn’t elaborate further, and Sehkmet said nothing else about him.

“Jounouchi will be fine. He’s resting right now. The fight with Set used a lot of his energy,” she explained as she stood up.

“I’m sure. I saw some of the fight.”

“He was a crafty opponent. I was nearly defeated. It’s been nearly two thousand years since I last battled. But you’re safe. My duty is fulfilled.”

Kaiba nodded. “It is.”

Marik looked between them. “We should probably get back. Before we attract attention from the locals.”

He was right, of course. “I’ll go,” Sehkmet said, releasing her hold on Jounouchi. He stumbled forward, and Kaiba caught him by the arm. He was barely conscious, and he handed the Rod back to Marik in order to scoop Jounouchi into his arms to carry him back. Marik silently followed along behind them.

They made their way back to the beach house, and Jounouchi woke as they entered. “Where are we?” he groaned.

“At the beach house,” Kaiba explained.

“I remember fightin’ and gettin’ hurt. What happened after that?”

“I’ll explain later,” Kaiba promised. “But for now, you should clean up and rest.” 

Kaiba was tired, too. He set Jounouchi down on the bed and sat down beside him. Jounouchi sagged against his side, exhausted, and Kaiba could feel it, too. The Pharaoh’s spirit had been right. He was physically and mentally exhausted. And as much as he’d wanted a shower, he couldn’t bring himself to bother right now. Fully dressed, covered in grime, he wrapped his arms around Jounouchi and laid them back in bed. Sleep came quickly, for once, plowing over him like a freight train. It wasn’t his normal, but then again, nothing about the past few days had been normal.

-

He woke to the smell of eggs frying and some kind of fish he couldn’t really place. He thought it was a dream. Or maybe Jounouchi cooking breakfast, but when he rolled over, the blonde still slept next to him. He draped an arm over his waist, pressing closer to him. Jounouchi groaned and muttered something unintelligible.

Kaiba became aware of the fact he still wore the same outfit from the previous evening and that he smelled. Jounouchi did, too. Despite how surreal the previous night had been, it had, in fact, happened. He'd been possessed by a god and met his ancient counterpart. He inwardly attempted to contact the spirit but gave up when he met silence. Perhaps he needed to touch the Rod himself to reach the spirit, though in the past, he'd seen memories only by being near it.

Kaiba didn't think too much on it. It wasn't worth the effort to him, and when everything was over, he'd try his best to go back to ignoring all the magic and his ties to the past. Instead, he debated getting up and showering, but at the moment, he didn't want to separate from Jounouchi. Even if the blonde smelled like sweat and blood. Even if he felt grimy and disgusting after sleeping in his clothes.

So he stayed in bed, holding onto Jounouchi and waiting for him to wake up. It happened quicker than Kaiba expected, Jounouchi snuggling into his chest, mumbling.

"We should shower," Kaiba said immediately.

"Mmm, yeah," Jounouchi agreed, voice thick with sleep.

They made their way to the shower, stripping their clothes off in the bathroom before stepping in together. As Kaiba washed himself off, a gratefulness thrummed through him. They’d both survived. They were still alive and together. Nothing else mattered. 

Feeling more sentimental than he normally did, he pulled Jounouchin into a hug, holding him tightly. Jounouchi leaned into the embrace, resting his cheek against Kaiba’s shoulder. “I feel like I’m hungover,” he said. “I didn’t even get to drink last night. My whole body hurts. I don’t got any energy.”

Kaiba understood, feeling much the same way himself. Lethargic and somewhat out of it. “I suppose it’s the after effects.”

Jounouchi nodded against his shoulder. They stayed there for several minutes, embracing in the shower as the water washed over them. “Sehkmet says ya found the way to get rid of her.”

“I did.”

“Ya doin’ that right away?”

“No. I’m supposed to recover first. So it might be a week or so from now.”

Jounouchi hummed thoughtfully. “That’s good. I think I will throw her that party though. She saved my life. Yours, too.”

“I saved myself,” Kaiba said. “However, she did keep you alive, and for that, I am thankful.”

Jounouchi chuckled, looking up at him. “So ya do care about me?” he teased.

Kaiba gazed at him, struggling to find the words. Unsure whether to spill his feelings entirely or to joke around like Jounouchi seemed to be trying. He could feel how his mouth formed into an uncertain scowl, the way his eyes searched Jounouchi’s. “I… Of course, I do,” he huffed, embarrassed. “Idiot.”

Jounouchi laughed harder this time, pulling out of his arms. “I’m glad ya do. Let’s finish up in here and go get whatever Marik cooked us for breakfast. I’m hungry.”

Kaiba had forgotten about the smell of food that he’d woken up to. He’d forgotten that Marik was there with them at all. But he nodded and finished up, and when they’d dressed, they went to eat the breakfast Marik had prepared for them.

“You guys feeling okay?” he asked, concerned.

“Fine,” Kaiba answered.

“I feel like I been run over by a truck,” Jounouchi whined.

“I’m not surprised,” Marik said. “That fight had to have used up a lot of your energy. I figured you were both drained and would appreciate breakfast.”

Jounouchi nodded enthusiastically, sitting down at the table and gesturing for Kaiba to join him. Kaiba did so, and Marik slid them both plates, saying, “Hopefully, the fish is okay. I’m not an expert cook, and I never prepare meat dishes.”

“I just appreciate the thought,” Jounouchi said. “Thanks, Marik.”

Marik nodded. “Kaiba, would you like the Millenium Rod back? It’s yours to do with as you please.”

Kaiba shook his head. “I would rather not share my head until I’m ready to extract Sehkmet.”

Jounouchi, mouth full of food, turned to him in awe. “Oh, that’s right! Ya said you’d tell me what happened. And Sehkmet might have mentioned that you’d run into the Priest guy. The one that looks like you.”

“I met him as a Pharaoh,” Kaiba admitted. He proceeded to explain the events to Jounouchi, who listened with rapt attention as he devoured his food. Even Marik listened, intrigued.

“So ya met him... He never seemed like a bad guy when I saw him in that… thing. With the other Yuugi. Is he there right now?”

Kaiba shook his head. “I suppose I’d need to hold onto that infernal Rod for that.”

Jounouchi frowned. “I kinda wanna meet him. I do owe him.”

“You’ll have a chance when I remove your goddess,” Kaiba said.

Marik cleared his throat. “So you don’t really don’t feel his presence right now?”

“No. He’s not in my mind.”

Marik looked at the table, considering. “I guess that makes sense. My dark side… had very little to do with the Rod. A demon of my own creation and not an evil spirit.” Kaiba looked at him seriously, and beside him, Jounouchi tensed. They both had been well acquainted with Marik’s dark side, and suffered for it. Jounouchi far more than Kaiba. Marik smiled sadly. “Sorry. But I’m almost glad to know that the Rod isn’t evil on it’s own right. It’s not the Millenium Ring.”

Jounouchi shuddered, but the words meant little to Kaiba. In fact, the less he talked and thought about it, the better. 

As if sensing Kaiba’s distaste for the subject, Jounouchi interjected, “So we only got a few hours of vacation left? What are we gonna do?”

“I don’t feel like doing much of anything,” Kaiba said.

“Well, let’s go do nothin’ on the beach. And I do still wanna come back here. Just the two of us, Seto.”

He leaned over and kissed Kaiba’s cheek. The action had a flush spreading across his face.

-

The rest of the trip had gone uneventfully. They’d packed up and headed home. Kaiba had gone back to work. He’d been grouchy. His secretary was avoiding him, and Mokuba had asked him, “What’s your problem? Upset about being back to work?”

He hadn’t told Mokuba about anything, though he knew he would eventually. Once everything was fully resolved. For now, he just replied, “It was an eventful weekend. I did not return especially well-rested.”

“Ooo,” Mokuba cooed suggestively. “It was that good, huh?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and got back to work.

By the time Saturday rolled around, Kaiba was ready for everything to be finished. For Sehkmet to leave, for Jounouchi to return to normal, and for Marik to get the fuck out of his house. He’d quickly snatched up the Millenium Rod when it was held out for him Saturday morning. The sooner he got started, the sooner it would be finished.

He felt the familiar presence creep into his mind instantly, but the spirit didn’t take over. Sehkmet, resigned to her fate, sat down near the statue she’d been sealed in. She had bid farewell to him. “Take care, Kaiba Seto. And should you need help again, I would be honored to fight for you.”

Kaiba took that as high praise, especially coming from the goddess who’d been so quick to disparage his Egyptian counterpart. Marik stood next to him. “Are you ready?” he asked.

Kaiba nodded, and he let the spirit of the Pharaoh take over. He was still present despite not being in control.

“Do you know the words?” Marik asked him.

“I do.”

The spirit closed his eyes, leaving Kaiba unable to see anything. “Goddess of Power, healer and protector, avenger of Ra, your task in complete. Until such time as you’re called again to Pharaoh’s aid, rest once more.”

Kaiba felt the surge of power through his body. And then his eyes opened, and he watched as Sehkmet was pulled from Jounouchi’s body. He could distinguish her physical form, a female body clothed in white linen and a lion head. She dipped her head in respect, and then she disappeared.

Jounouchi woke instantly, standing up abruptly with wide eyes and nearly falling to the floor. The spirit reached out and steadied him. “Jounouchi Katsuya, I presume.”

“You must be… Priest Seto…”

“That was once my title, yes.”

“That’s right. Seto said ya were a Pharaoh now.”

He nodded his head in agreement. “It’s a great honor to see my cousin’s protector in the flesh. Thank you for what you did for him. He speaks of you in the afterlife.”

Jounouchi grinned. “I’d do anything for my friends.”

“And you would do anything for your lover, too.”

A blush stained Jounouchi’s cheek. The spirit reached out and cupped his chin. “Yeah… I would,” Jounouchi said. “I love him so… Yeah.”

Kaiba was given back control of his body, with the spirit demanding,  _ “Show him you do, as well.” _

And he did. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips to Jounouchi’s. The blonde pressed back with equal fervor, snaking his arms around Kaiba’s neck and pulling him close. They kissed for a long time, Kaiba wasn’t keeping track, but he eventually needed to pull away for air. Jounouchi leaned against him, breathing hard. Kaiba caught his breath as well, suddenly becoming very aware that Marik had just watched the entire thing.

Inside his mind, the Pharaoh’s spirit chuckled.  _ “Atem will be surprised when I tell him of your relationship. But I can at least assure him your feelings are mutual and sincere.” _

_ _ Kaiba didn’t respond. He didn’t care what either spirit did. He was ready to leave the past behind and push forward into the future. He dropped the Rod, letting it clatter on the floor. The spirit was gone. And soon Marik would leave, too. It would just be him and Jounouchi again. And that’s exactly what he wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> I have always wanted to do something that addresses the fact that Priest Seto becomes Pharaoh and should probably be referred to as such. Also, I love revertshipping a lot, and while this isn't that, it was kind of fun having Jounouchi and Egyptian Seto together for a short time.
> 
> This was actually supposed to be much worse for Kaiba, but I toned it back because I didn't want to hurt him too bad.
> 
> Also, Kaiba, Jou, and Marik was the strangest dynamic I think I've written in a long time. It was fun, regardless.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this oneshot! Please let me know what you think! ^^


End file.
